The present invention relates to nutritional supplement compositions containing alpha-glucosidase and alpha-amylase inhibitors. More specifically, the invention relates to nutritional supplement compositions that include effective amounts of alpha-glucosidase and alpha-amylase inhibitors substantially in the absence of lipase inhibitor. The present invention also relates to methods of limiting the absorption of carbohydrates contained in a foodstuff, and to methods of promoting weight loss in an individual.
Carbohydrates are nutritional compounds that are present in a wide array of foodstuffs. They are a group of numerous different compounds that occur in a variety of sizes and configurations. All carbohydrates are composed of one or more sugar units linked together through glycosidic bonds. Complex carbohydrates, such as starch, are relatively large molecules consisting of numerous repeating units formed into a multi-branched chain structure. Monosaccharides and disaccharides, on the other hand, are simple carbohydrates that comprise single and double sugar units, respectively.
The human body digests complex carbohydrates by breaking them into relatively simple units, monosaccharides, and then absorbing these units into a tissue, such as the intestine. A variety of digestive enzymes work in a stepwise manner to break the complex carbohydrates into the absorbable units. In an initial step, salivary and pancreatic enzymes known as amylases break large carbohydrates into smaller units of oligo- and disaccharides. In one of the final steps of carbohydrate digestion, alpha-glucosidase enzymes in the brush border of the small intestine break the disaccharides maltose and sucrose into their respective monosaccharide units, which can then be absorbed by the body.
A balanced diet includes several types of nutritional compounds, including carbohydrates. Recent suggestions indicate that a disproportionate level of carbohydrates in the diet, however, may contribute to obesity. As a result, several types of low- and no-carbohydrate foods and diets have been proposed.
Considering the prevalence of carbohydrates in many diets throughout the world, it is difficult for an individual to avoid carbohydrates. Furthermore, an individual interested in losing weight may not be willing to sacrifice the enjoyment of carbohydrate-containing foods. As a result, considerable attention has been focused on finding alternatives to the reduction and/or elimination of carbohydrates from the diet.
The enzymes that digest carbohydrates into absorbable units present opportunities to prevent the absorption of these compounds. By inhibiting the function of the appropriate enzymes, carbohydrates will not be broken into their absorbable units and will pass through the body unabsorbed. This allows an individual to enjoy carbohydrate-containing food while still avoiding the absorption of carbohydrates.
The art has several examples of compositions that prevent the absorption of carbohydrates. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,200,958 to Odaka et al. discloses a composition that includes an alpha-glucosidase inhibitor. The composition is used to retard the digestion of carbohydrates such as starch and sucrose. U.S. Pat. No. 5,643,974 to Bremer et al. discloses a nutritional supplement composition that contains a glucosidase inhibitor and/or an amylase inhibitor in the presence of a lipase inhibitor. The composition prevents the absorption of carbohydrates, and can be used in the treatment of obesity. The '974 patent teaches that the presence of the lipase inhibitor is critical to the function of the composition.
While the art includes these and other examples of compositions that limit the absorption of carbohydrates, there remains a need for compositions having improved abilities to prevent such absorption.